Posted on 03/15/2006 8:46:15 AM PST by Hannah Senesh
Why should our politicians hear us? For some program we want them to finance? College was never affordable for the common man. It always meant great sacrifice something today's generation does not understand. The blue collar worker became the predominate work force and college was not needed for the majority. When the blue collar worker was on top of the world it made a college education more valuable. Now that a college education is a dime a dozen possibly because of the federal programs, grants, etc you have the college educated flipping hamburgs and they are not paid in relation to the money expended to obtain the education. At least this is my opinion. Stands to reason that price goes along with value. When you have an over abundance of something it cheapens it. Same for college.
I have been considering asking about a telecommute a couple days per week, but it may be difficult to talk the boss into.
Yum! What time is dinner?
Don't remember being "forced" into the workforce. Been working since I was 15; I wanted money to buy my own clothes and records. Mom & Dad didn't have much disposable income.
Worked through college too, had a sister one year behind me. I felt guilty asking my folks for beer and clothing money while they struggled with tuition. But I wasn't forced to work.
Worked after college because I enjoyed having my own place and my own money. Was the grown-up thing to do.
Never thought of stopping just because I got married. I was in a great field (early information technology) with interesting work in a great environment (a college) a few blocks from home.
Took 4 month maternity leave after my first baby. Found a great baby sitter who watched her and later her sister & brother for 10 years at my home when I went back. Was home for lunch (even nursed each for a few months), at school functions, and home less than an hour after the kids.
I would have gone NUTS being a stay-at-home mom. House might have been cleaner and weekends less chore-filled, but I would have been ready to shoot myself. I enjoy adult conversation and discussions, and hated most kids tv. I'm not one to watch the same movies over and over. And my husband was even worse; totally frazzled after a couple of days home alone with the kids when they were little.
I have plenty of stay-at-home mom friends. By the time the kids were 4 they were in preschool for a few hours a day and mom was stuck with not enough time to work or start home projects before pick-up time. I'm not judging whether one route was better than the other, but the benefit for me was that I always had a good income coming in and was able to keep up with the advances in the field.
If I had to do it again, I might have worked part-time for a couple of those years. But I was lucky I had a great employer and now enough years of service for all my kids to go to a private, catholic college for free. (Okay, the first one is at a private EXPENSIVE college not on my tuition exchange plan, but I have hope for the other two!)
I don't believe women are "forced" into the workforce any more than men are.
All I know is that eventually people will scream loud enough and something will be done about the cost of colleges. Now, which party will actually do something is up for debate.
I think our politicians should hear us because they work for us.
I think its just a matter of making it a priority.
I have always worked anywhere from 40 to 80 hours a week, but have always been home every evening... nearly always eat dinner as a family... and my wife stays home.
I also manage to play 3 sports a week as well as 3 professional business meetings a month... wife is a girlscout leader, and my son plays sports and piano and karate as well... at times it is hectic beyond belief, but it is very rare we don't eat dinner together or spend at least some time together in the evenings.
Your life, and what you do with it, reflect your true priorities. What you say doesn't matter, what you feel doesn't matter, what you believe doesn't matter.. its what you DO that counts.
Yea, we don't have a 5,000 square ft McMansion, and yes, our cars are 14 and 10 years old respectively, and no, we don't have a ski chalet or a beach house... and no, we don't have name brand clothing.... no, we don't even have extended cable or digital tv... Only have a prepaid cell phone for use in emergencies.... most of the clothing our kid wears is second hand..... as is some of our stuff, and the stuff that's not is generally from lower end department stores.....
However, those cars are paid for, our kid goes to private school, I'm home every night.... And no matter how hectic my jobs have been, I always make sure that is the case... even if it means leaving work at 5pm, only to go back at 9pm and work until 1am to make up for it.
I could change this behavior, probably double my salary in short order, and never see my family... and I could have a new car, big house, and all the toys... but I'd rather have true influence in my childs life rather than showering him with gifts over guilt for not being there.
I am a huge proponent of dinner at 6:00, which was my family norm. I've even let it slide to 6:30 (to allow for my 1 hr+ drive home), but my wife doesn't do that. As soon as she gets in from picking the kids up (she's 'out' of work at 3 pm (teacher), and picks the kids up about 5:00-5:30 so she can do her paperwork/etc.), she gives them snacks, then wonders why they don't want dinner at 6:30... (at least it's good snacks... grapes, bananas, apples).
I really wonder about today's kids, and what it'll be like for my grand-kids. One thing is for sure, I'm going to be the grand-pa that tells the "back in my day" stories...
Actually if the Government didn't guarantee student loans, you'd see college prices drop like a rock. THe only reason they go up so much is because the colleges know every kid that shows up at the door can get $XXXX automatically backed by uncle same in loans... there is no downward price pressure from that point.
All I know is that eventually people will scream loud enough and something will be done about the cost of colleges. Now, which party will actually do something is up for debate.
I think our politicians should hear us because they work for us.
IMO, the problem is not at the federal level. It is at the College level. Administrators are making waaaaay too much money. Check out how much presidents are making at universities and add their perks. Coaches are making waaay too much money also. And, to add salt to that wound they receive State funding along with Federal funding for tuition, grants and who knows what else.
I agree our pockets are being robbed but looking to politicians to solve the problem is a joke. Colleges should be boycotted until they lower the tuition costs and quit building "estates" rather than rooms for learning. BUT, today's generations seem to be all about 'looks.' Is the Church big and pretty, is the campus awesome and are there all kinds of extracurricular activities, etc. Oh, and I can't forget the kids need a place to park their only toooo often new cars. These generations are as spoiled and as much on the government doll as former generations. No generation has been exempt from wanting some type of funding (entitlement) from the government. I just wish they could admit it.
Better watch out; I cook trout, too. ;)
Not everyone is dumb enough to think that being a wage slave is the end all and be all. There's more than one way to skin a cat and its not impossible to spend time at home and still make money. Maybe not in a preferred manner - but where there's a will there's a way.
"What kids want
Because that is what our children really want. For us to be home."
List?
"I'm in my early 30's and absolutely hate the "women's movement" for basically making me have to work."
No one is forcing you to work. If it's important to both of you that you stay home, he's just going to have to make more money.
I hear ya and it must change. I often wonder if it ever will but I think over time, hopefully some of it will change.
All I can do in response to your post is stand and applaud. Sorry that's difficult to see on a message board. :)
I have to tell you, I hear this excuse for working (enjoying adult conversation)... as though raising a child shuts you off from the world if you stay at home... Nothing could be more from the truth.
My wife quite work when our first was born, yes, it took her a little time to adjust to it, but it also opened up all sorts of meaningful "adult conversation" and things beyond watching the same show over and over.. which IMHO your child shouldn't be doing anyway.
Lets just go through a few things she's been up to since quitting work, that have kept her from "adult conversation".... She spent several years in various board member positions for a local community group.. she has been a girl scout leader for 5 years and trainer (no we don't even have a daughter)... She is active in our local church and school... She knows just about every child and parent and teacher and adminstrator by name... Active in all sorts of other community activities.... etc etc etc...
If you think all a "stay at home mom" does is clean the house and cook dinner, you are sorely mistaken. All those things that every community needs done just to stay operational, require people to do them, most of the folks that do them are volunteers, and those volunteers fall largely into 2 groups... Retirees and stay at home moms... Yea, the jobs aren't glorious, but without them being recess monitors your kid wouldn't even get to go outside on a nice day, or helping out in the lunch room your kid might not even get a meal served...
Any "stay at home mom" who is "bored" isn't trying... You'd be hard pressed to find anyone, working or not that is as busy as my wife on a typical day.
You like work, that's great, but I just don't remotely buy the line of "need work to keep from going nuts"... there is so much out there to keep anyone who is available busy you won't have time to go nuts.
I'm not a proponent of dinner at six - neither were my parents, since that was cocktail hour, and it's the same for me today. It does sound like snack time is too close to dinner at your house, though....
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